ResourceSmart Schools helps students, teachers, school administrators and parents embed sustainability into everything they do from school operations, curriculum and community engagement. ResourceSmart schools achieve great things collectively, such as, saving $3.8 million in 2015 by reducing their energy and water consumption, and by generating less waste - and the savings continue to be counted!

The ResourceSmart School's Sustainability Certification system provides a platform for schools to track their sustainability journey, identify savings and be rewarded by achieving sustainability modules and stars. The aim for schools is to reach for the stars – from 1 to 5 stars, with 5Star as the ultimate achievement! ResourceSmart Schools also rewards all Victorian schools through the ResourceSmart Schools Awards.

ResourceSmart Schools is a key component of the Victorian Government’s commitment to help all Victorian’s take action on climate change. In 2016-17 the Victorian Government committed to the delivery of ResourceSmart Schools across Victoria. This commitment enables regional delivery partners and networks to continue to support schools to reduce energy, waste and water usage, and to better understand and take action on climate change.

A key achievement for the program has been winning the national ‘Education for Sustainability’ category in the Banksia Sustainability Awards in November 2015.

ResourceSmart Schools Online has two components to – a secure and public portal. The secure portal provides ResourceSmart schools with an online account to manage schools environmental data, track improvements (and therefore savings) over time, participate in Sustainability Certification to gain formal recognition for their achievements, and share information, tools, curriculum and resources. The public is designed for the whole Victorian school community to use – principals, teachers, students, parents, education for sustainability providers, business managers, school boards/councils and government.

ResourceSmart Schools has five modules to help your school track its sustainability journey and identify savings made. Core is the foundation module to be completed first. You can complete the other four modules – energy, waste, water and biodiversity – in any order, or even at the same time. With over 200 actions across five modules ResourceSmart Schools helps you make the small steps required to get huge results for your school. The next Star Certification is due by 18 November 2016 (this is only for Star Certification as Module Certification is now automatically completed when submitted by the assessor).

ResourceSmart Schools is managed by Sustainability Victoria and delivered via a network of regional delivery partners operating across Victoria including CERES, Gippsland Regional Waste and Resource Recovery Group, Goulbourn Valley Water, Grampians Regional Waste and Resource Recovery Group, Loddon Mallee Waste and Resource Recovery Group and Environmental Education Victoria (EEV). Along with the regional delivery partners, there are professional development opportunities to support your ResourceSmart Schools journey.

We have a range of resources to assist schools commencing and progressing through ResourceSmart Schools, including Guidelines, Checklists and teaching resources. Go to our Education Resources page for the latest resources including 'how to' guides and Curriculum Links documents. More resources will shortly be available on ResourceSmart Schools Online.